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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816185">Fugacious</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami_Soyo/pseuds/Okami_Soyo'>Okami_Soyo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:34:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816185</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami_Soyo/pseuds/Okami_Soyo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a year of Sora being suspended in the crystal formation, someone comes to his rescue. What comes next are the lingering effects of Sora being gone and separated for nearly a year.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aqua &amp; Terra &amp; Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Axel &amp; Roxas &amp; Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi &amp; Riku &amp; Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Sora (Kingdom Hearts) &amp; Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fugacious</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hey the world's on fire, but im here to offer some self-indulgent fics leggo</p><p>so this came out on a whim and would probably serve as a follow up to a fic i have planned...if i get through this first, so we'll see</p><p>btw i have plans for sora and cloud's relationship; and ill say this now, but no there will be no romance between them, merely platonic and brotherly since i really liked how their relationship was displayed in the pre-KHIII games</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hmm."</p>
<p>Cloud rubs his eyes. Taking a breath, he walks and looks around his surroundings. He stands on top of a building, looking down below. The bright lights awaken a familiar feeling, though it's not the same. The sky is dark, cloudy. The streets are quiet, almost silent if not for the small breeze passing through occasionally. The image of Radiant Garden at night flashes through his mind. </p>
<p>"Are you all right?" Cloud turns to look at his red-clad companion. </p>
<p>"It's nothing. Thanks for coming with me Vincent." The man shrugs. Someone loudly clears his throat behind the two. Cloud and Vincent look behind them. A smirk finds its way to the blond's face.</p>
<p>"You too Barret."</p>
<p>"Damn straight." The man rolls his shoulders. "This better be the last world for today." </p>
<p>"Your help is appreciated," Cloud says. He turns away, letting out a quiet sigh. </p>
<p>It's been a year since the disappearance of Sora. Everyone has been on edge, trying to the find the loud yet kind brunet. They've been looking out for any clues. Donald and Goofy are aiding King Mickey in past worlds visited by Sora. Terra, Ven, and Aqua are searching through the realm of darkness while the people from Twilight Town are scouring through Roxas and Xion's memories. Back at Radiant Garden, Sora's own best friends haven't been fairing well. Kairi fell asleep in hopes that her heart had at least a clue. Riku was with Leon and the others, going through the data left by now fallen Organization Thirteen. </p>
<p>"So, shall we split up?" Vincent looks between Cloud and Barret. </p>
<p>"Right. How long we spending in this world?" </p>
<p>"Dunno. Maybe an hour." Cloud looks at Vincent and Barret. "You have your communicators?" He watches Vincent and Barret lift the small devices up. He looks down on his own, pressing a button. </p>
<p>"An hour perhaps?" Vincent asks, looking at the device. Cloud and Barret nod.</p>
<p>"Look out for any Heartless. Don't think we have to worry about Nobodies showing up," Cloud says, observing his surroundings again. Barret shakes his head.</p>
<p>"Don't forget those Unversed. Not gonna lie, but these names are dumb though. Whoever came up with these names are either too bored with too much time on their hands or are trying too hard to sound dangerous, but come off sounding like complete dumbasses. Freakin' try-hards."</p>
<p>"Maybe you can input suggestions for their next meeting." Cloud hides a small smile on his face, hearing the dry sarcasm dripping in Vincent's voice. Barret grunts annoyed.</p>
<p>All three of them hold up their devices, as they set the timer to one hour. Pressing the button, the timer begins its countdown. They share a silent look between each other, nodding. Cloud watches Vincent and Barret turn around, the former jumping to another rooftop and the latter hopping down to the street. The blond swordsman takes a moment to gather himself and heads off in a different direction.</p>
<p>Cloud was one of the few who volunteered to travel through various worlds, due to past experiences. Opposite of King Mickey's journey, he's been traveling to new worlds. He wrangled Vincent and Barret's help this time around, thanks to Tifa's insistence. Though every trip has a limit. Traveling between worlds took more energy and resources than defending Radiant Garden from the Heartless. Not that there haven't been many Heartless lately. Cloud just didn't want to hear Barret's gushing about his cute daughter and lamenting on missed time during travels.</p>
<p>No, the reason Cloud volunteered to search for Sora was simple. He just missed the brunet, who became somewhat akin to a little brother. Despite being naive some of the time, he was kindhearted and brave when the time came to it. A great fighter as well, which he always looked forward to in the tournaments. Seeing the tired and sad looks on the rest of the committee's faces hurt. Everyone seemed to be on their last fumes.</p>
<p>
  <i>Maybe this will be the world will be different.</i>
</p>
<p>Cloud takes a deep breath.</p>
<p>
  <i>I hope it is.</i>
</p><hr/>
<p>A light breeze passes through the city. His bangs dance in front of his eyes, but his focus never wavers. His different colored eyes remain on the crystallized teen before him. Soon, the process will be done. Sora will be saved. He can feel it within his heart. The gentle footsteps approaching from behind break him out of his thoughts. He opens his eyes, which he didn't know he had closed, and moves his hand away from his chest. </p>
<p>"How's the crystallization going?" Yozora turns his head around. A man with red hair lifts the edge of his hat up, meeting each other's gaze. A glint of mischief appears in the man's eyes. He shakes his own head, turning his gaze back to Sora.</p>
<p>"It'll be over soon."</p>
<p>"Really? That's good to hear." The two hear a loud thud and look to see the last one to join them on the roof. The man fixes his crooked glasses. The city lights reflects brightly on the lenses. He walks towards them, saying, "I've been wanting to head home for a while."</p>
<p>"So impatient Aegis." The red-haired man shakes his head. </p>
<p>"Pot calling the kettle black, Magi. 'Zora." Aegis moves closer to his friend sitting down. He stands on Yozora's right side. "How long do think it might take?"</p>
<p>Yozora takes a deep breath. He says, "Not for long."</p>
<p>"That's great, but maybe you can put it in a time frame? Just asking." Magia asks.</p>
<p>"Either tonight or tomorrow morning." Yozora can feel Magia and Aegis' stares on his back. It couldn't be helped. The three of them have been stuck in this world for a year. A year since Yozora put Sora into a deep slumber, in hopes that the crystallization process from his own world will work smoothly. Granted, using it on a stranger might have ended in disaster, but it didn't. The time to reap the reward was nearly here.</p>
<p>"I still can't believe everything worked out." Magia stares at the crystallized Sora. </p>
<p>"We still need to see him to emerge from the crystal," Aegis says. He looks at Yozora. "He has to see our young commander first. That's the most important step." Yozora confirms with a grunt. </p>
<p>
  <i>Crack!</i>
</p>
<p>All three of them jerk their heads up. A small beam of light bursts from the crack, shooting into the sky. Yozora stands up, backing away from the sight. He turns to look at his soldiers.</p>
<p>"Magia, Aegis." The two men nod and head off to avoid Sora's line of direction.</p>
<p>"Good luck commander!" Magia offers, heading off to one side of the rooftop.</p>
<p>Yozora nods, not looking towards his direction. With renewed confidence, he approaches the crystallized Sora and places a hand on him. He rests his head on the crystal.</p><hr/>
<p>Cloud frowns at a new bright light. He stops on a nearby rooftop, looking at the strange pillar of light, and hears his device's chime. Taking it out, he answers. "Hey, you saw it."</p>
<p>"I did."</p>
<p>"I'm going to take a look," he replies.</p>
<p>"We'll meet you there," Barret shoots back. Vincent grunts in response. Cloud puts away the device, hightailing it towards the pillar of light. He arrives at one last building towards the light. He stares down at the next rooftop. Narrowing his eyes, his green eyes scan for anything strange. Three people. Two at the opposite ends of the roof. One approaching the object radiating the light. His eyes widen as time around him began to slow down. </p>
<p>
  <i>It can't be . . .</i>
</p>
<p>His hand shoots to his Buster Sword, gripping it tightly. The handles on his sword click, and his sword becomes a little bit more heavier. His entire body feels light, lighter than usual actually. </p>
<p>
  <i>Is it really . . . </i>
</p>
<p>A long breath escapes his chapped lips.</p>
<p>
  <i>Only one way to find out.</i>
</p>
<p>Shivers run up his spine. </p>
<p>"Everyone's efforts...won't be wasted! Time to go."</p><hr/>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>Thud!</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>"Hey!" Yozora hears Aegis call out. Removing his hand from Sora's leg, he turns around. Several feet away stands a blond man, wielding a huge sword. He flicks his right hand, summoning his crossbow. His sword appears in his other hand. He's come too far. If anyone tries to stop this...</p>
<p>Holding a sword towards the strange, Yozora says, "Who are you? What do you want?"</p>
<p>Cloud points his sword at Yozora. He moves it towards Sora, his eyes narrowing at the sight. It hurts to see, that his friend has been trapped in that crystal. His grip wavers for a moment, but quickly adjusts it. He needs answers. He needs to know. Whether or not that man before him is responsible for Sora's disappearance. And if so...</p>
<p>"Who I am won't matter to you. What matters is that I'm taking my friend back."</p>
<p>An ugly scowl appears on Yozora's face. He holds his crossbow, hoping the arrow will hit the space between the blond's eyes. He hears footsteps approach from both sides. Not bothering to look, he keeps his eyes on the blond warrior.</p>
<p>"Sorry, but we can't have you interrupting the commander's plans."</p>
<p>"Good thing we're here then!" </p>
<p>Cloud remains steadfast as a wave of bullets rain down on the three men. The one wearing glasses waves his hand, summoning a green, transparent shield. When the dust clears away, Barret and Vincent stand next to him. Barret loads more ammo into his gun.</p>
<p>"Hm," Vincent lets out. "Three of them. Three of us."</p>
<p>"One for each of us." Barret looks at Cloud. The blond returns the look. "You better get your friend out."</p>
<p>"What? You think I can't?"</p>
<p>"Enough of this." Yozora shoots an arrow at Cloud. Barret and Vincent move away, and the blond deflects the arrow with one swing. Magia and Aegis try to stay by Yozora's side, but Cloud's friends make it impossible. Barret and Vincent make it rain down, separating the three men. Taking a breath, Yozora just believes his soldiers will be able to take down these intruders. He has to. He can't afford to stop now.</p>
<p>Cloud and Yozora charge at each other. They exchange blows left and right. Yozora puts a few feet between them, shooting arrows. The black-clad warrior dodges, faster than Sora. He growls, not wanting to waste any time on this intruder...!</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>Crack!</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>Everyone freezes, blinded by the light growing stronger. Cloud recovers quickly, slashing at his opponent. With him momentarily down, he heads towards Sora.</p>
<p>"Sora!"</p>
<p>"No!" Yozora shoots an arrow at Cloud's feet. It misses by several inches. Doesn't matter. He dashes at the blond, throwing his sword down. It's blocked by the huge blade, sparks flaring between them. He pushes more of his weight, but his opponent pushes him back.</p>
<p>"Why do you have Sora? What have you done to him?"</p>
<p>"My answers won't matter." Yozora continues to scowl. He'll keep wearing it as long as that damn intruder continues to interrupt his plan. "It won't anyway, since I'll defeat you."</p>
<p>"That's my friend you have trapped here!" Cloud couldn't help but grow angry. Angry for Sora. No. Fury. Outright furious for everyone who has befriended Sora. Sora doesn't deserve this. He and the others don't deserve to learn that they were separated by the kind and goofy brunet by this selfish prick! He places a hand on the crystallized figure, but is immediately knocked away.</p>
<p>"Don't you dare place your filthy hands on him!"</p>
<p>"Tch!" Cloud dashes forward, slashing at the black-haired man. "I should be telling you that!" Feeling alight with a burning desire to protect, his body glows brightly. Channeling it into his sword, he charges at Yozora and unleashes his special move. Quick. Powerful. It was enough to render the man immobile. But to be safe, he knocks his opponent out.</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>SHATTER!</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>A flood of light envelops the entire rooftop. Everyone stops moving, unable to see anything. The light disappears slowly. Cloud opens his eyes and spots Sora, free from his makeshift prison. The brunet gently floats down to the ground, but falls forward.</p>
<p>"Sora!" Cloud runs and catches the teen in his arms. He checks for anything unusual, strange, on Sora's body. He was inside that crystal prison. He's not risking any lingering side effects.</p>
<p>"Commander!" Cloud notices the two men running towards them. Barret and Vincent appear by his side immediately. They deflect the two away.</p>
<p>"Let's go." Cloud readjusts his sword and the teen. Barret takes Sora away, carrying him on his back. He stays close however, putting a hand on the brunet's arm, as if it'll keep him grounded. Reassure him that it was real. A beam shoots down from the sky, bathing them in it. </p>
<p>Reappearing on the ship, Cloud releases a breath he didn't know he was holding.</p>
<p>"Mission accomplished."</p>
<p>Vincent sits in his chair, relaxing only a little. Barret looks around, wondering where to place the rescued teen. Cloud moves around him, unlocking a hidden bed. </p>
<p>"You could have told us that we had a bed in this ship." Barret complains, carefully laying the teen on the bed. Cloud offers a sardonic smile.</p>
<p>"You slept in your chair fine."</p>
<p>"Hmph! Tell that to the kinks I had before in my neck!"</p>
<p>Cloud goes to his seat, buckling up. "You're fine."</p>
<p>"Setting coordinates for Radiant Garden." Vincent inputs the last keys. The ships roars to life and begins its flight path. He checks the map and time. "We should be there in several hours or so. Should we send a message?"</p>
<p>Cloud crosses his arms. He glances across the ship. Barret, true to his words earlier, has fallen asleep in his chair. He shifts his gaze on the sleeping brunet. The relief in him renews itself. He's sure the others will feel the same. Regardless...</p>
<p>"We'll let them know when we land." Cloud looks forward, seeing Vincent's lingering gaze. The pilot turns around.</p>
<p>"Your call."</p><hr/>
<p>Terra looks around the desolate realm. He sighs, shaking his head. </p>
<p>"Terra, what's wrong?" Ventus runs towards him. Terra looks at his friend, smiling a little. </p>
<p>"It's just...frustrating." Terra stares out into the dark realm. The darkness swirls in various patterns. It was memorizing, a sight he wishes he could erase from his memories. "Sora has done so much for us, but we haven't found anything. Not even a sliver of a clue."</p>
<p>"I know." Ventus looks down, clenching his hand. "I've been in his heart for so long. This is the least I can do to make up for hiding away."</p>
<p>"Hey you two, there's no need to beat ourselves up." Aqua walks over to the two. She smiles. "We just have to keep moving. This will be our last trip for a bit though."</p>
<p>"Yeah, 'cause Roxas says that he made a new recipe thanks to Little Chef!" Ventus drools.</p>
<p>"Keep eating like that and you might have to work out more with me," Terra chuckles at Ventus. His younger friend throws him a pout. When he looks up, his eyes narrow at a peculiar sight. Summoning his glider, he flies despite hearing cries of warning from Ventus and Aqua. He slows his speed and gasps at the sight.</p>
<p>"Zack?"</p>
<p>The person floating in the darkness looks how Zack would be older. Terra hopes that it is Zack. </p>
<p>"Terra, what—Zack!?" Aqua appears next to him, Ventus following her. Terra turns his head towards her.</p>
<p>"You know him?"</p>
<p>"Zack! It is him, right?" Ventus calls out. He exchange looks with Terra and Aqua. "We have to bring him back to Ansem. He might know what happened to him. Terra?" He looks at his friend, who seemed speechless at the sight of an old friend. He nudges Terra with his elbow.</p>
<p>"R-Right. We don't know how long he's been in here." Terra hauls Zack over his shoulder.</p>
<p>"Hopefully not as long as me." Aqua looks to the side. Terra puts a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Ventus appears on her other side, smiling within his visor. The three of them silently make their way to their exit. Terra's grip on Zack tightens as they return to the world of light.</p><hr/>
<p>"Commander!"</p>
<p>Yozora's eyes open slowly, but all of the memories rush to the front of his mind. His blood pumps faster, and he shoots upright. Pain shoots up his side, and he bends forward, grunting. </p>
<p>"Commander, you shouldn't move too much."</p>
<p>"Where..." Yozora stares at the ground. "Where are the intruders? Where is Sora?" There is a lengthy period of silence. Not a good sign. He steels himself and looks up. His heart shatters. Before his sight is the crystal formation. But...Sora is gone. Pure adrenaline crashes over him. His hands clench up, feeling the sting of his fingernails press too tightly against his skin, and pounds against the metal flooring. </p>
<p>"Our deepest apologies commander. We tried to stop them," Aegis says, hurt by his own admission. </p>
<p>Yozora looks at his soldiers. The anger cools down from its boiling point, but it simmers at the bottom of his stomach. Shaking his head, he replies, "They got the jump on us. Not to mention we were too busy on Sora's awakening."</p>
<p>"So, what shall we do now?" Magia asks, staring out to the sky.</p>
<p>"We're going to find Sora." Both Magia and Aegis stare at Yozora. With one, deep breath, he stands and gathers himself. Magia sighs, shaking his head.</p>
<p>"Well, we've followed you this far."</p>
<p>"Magia!"</p>
<p>"You're more than welcome to head back though, Aegis." Yozora stares at his fellow soldier. The man stares back, but offers a sarcastic smile. </p>
<p>"After everything that went down? No thanks. Someone's gotta keep you two on your toes."</p>
<p>Yozora smiles, appreciative of his subordinates, but it's gone at the thought of the black-clad warrior. He walks towards the broken clusters of crystals. He places his hand on the cool surface, feeling the energy of it pulse against his skin. His hand clenches around it tightly. The crystals crack from the sudden pressure and break under his grip. Particles of light fly into the air. He refuses to back down so easily. He sincerely hopes that the intruders know what they've gotten themselves into.</p>
<p>Yozora is not a forgiving person.</p><hr/>
<p>Cid was sound asleep when the message comes late in the night. He stumbles awake, groggily trying to find the device, and removes his face from the keyboard. He squints from the brightness of the screen, in addition of the monitor screens' soft glow. He still questions himself why he put them at such high intensity. With a click, he answers the call instead. Dang it.</p>
<p>"The hell you doing calling this late?" The old man tries to hide his yawn, but fails. He grunts at hearing a muffled chuckle in the background. Someone, probably Vincent, comments that waking him up was not a good idea. Damn straight it ain't.</p>
<p><i>"Cid, we need everyone here."</i> The urgency in Cloud's tone shakes the lingering weariness away. Cid straightens himself up, even though it's only him in Merlin's house. Everyone retired to other parts of Radiant Garden earlier. He knows that Cloud wouldn't call unless it's important. Cid is grateful the brooding blond isn't bad like the others, as the images of Yuffie, Tifa, and Barret appear in his mind.</p>
<p>"Huh, what for?"</p>
<p>
  <i>"We found him."</i>
</p>
<p>The world stills at that very moment. Cid holds his breath, letting the revelation sink into his very core. </p>
<p>Sora, that foolish, naive, brave punk, has finally been found. After a long, uneasy year of tears, awkward laughs, arguments that almost broke out into fights, near hopelessness, it has been done. The teen has found his way back to everyone. Cid opens his mouth, but no words can't find their way out. He clams up, trying to keep the emotions from spilling out. He pinches the bridge of his nose, doing his best to keep the tears from falling.</p>
<p>"...You're serious."</p>
<p>
  <i>"I wouldn't make the call if I wasn't."</i>
</p>
<p>If Cid isn't so mentally and emotionally tolled, he would have called out on the soft emotion slipping into Cloud's tone. He doesn't. He couldn't care less. He's in the same boat anyway. Right. Right, right, right! Back on track!</p>
<p>"Alright, whadda ya need?"</p>
<p>
  <i>"Let everyone know. Notify that the search is over. We'll be docking at Radiant Garden in less than an hour. Meanwhile, we need the castle to inspect Sora. Call them over."</i>
</p>
<p>"Whadda mean by that?"</p>
<p>
  <i>"When we found Sora, he was in this...odd crystal. Apparently, he was captured by these weirdos. I couldn't get much information from them, but whatever it was..."</i> Cloud takes a pause. Probably to cool his anger. Cid understands and waits for the rest of the report. <i>"It wasn't good. The leader, he was called commander by his subordinates, was very keen on keeping Sora. Tried to get some crystals for experiments, but we couldn't linger too long. Didn't want to risk Sora's capture again."</i>
</p>
<p>"You made the right call. Alright, I'll do what I can. It's really late, but I'm sure that won't stop the others."</p>
<p>Cloud chuckles on the other end. <i>"Thanks. We'll see everyone soon."</i></p>
<p>The call ends. Cid takes another deep breath and leans back in his chair. He glances down at his phone, staring at the dimly lit screen. His fingers finally move, albeit shakily, scroll through the multiple chats open and finds the one group chat. One in which everyone is in. Trying to calm his storm of emotions, he types a message and sends it into the chat.</p>
<p>"Welp, gotta get everything ready."</p><hr/>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <i>"Search's over. Sora is coming home. Less than an hour."</i>
  </p>
</div><hr/>
<p>
  <b>Location: Ansem's Castle</b>
</p>
<p>"Alright, who forgot to turn off their phone?" Even asks, shaking his head. </p>
<p>"Oh, sorry." Ienzo goes through his pocket.</p>
<p>"You should know better about lab protocols." Even watches Ienzo stare at his phone dumbfounded. "Ienzo?" Before he calls out his assistant again, rapid footsteps approach the lab. Dilan and Aeleus appear in the doorway, wearing mirroring shocked expressions. He looks around, as Ansem stares at his device too. </p>
<p>"He's been finally found." Ansem wears a tired smile. Even's eyes widen at the admission. He pulls out his own phone and looks at the urgent message. "I believe it's time we wake our dear princess up." He looks towards Ienzo's direction, who nods. His young apprentice heads to the monitor and begins typing away. His phone release another pinging sound. His eyes glance at the new message from Cid.</p>
<p>
  <i>"Cloud found Sora in some strange crystal. Might need you and your boys to find if there's anything wrong with him."</i>
</p>
<p>"Hmm, that's rather troubling news."</p>
<p>"Sir?" Dilan calls out. Ansem shakes his head. </p>
<p>"We still have some work to be done. Dilan, Aeleus, can I trust you two to meet with Cid and prepare the landing docks? I'm sure we'll be having multiple visitors soon." Ansem smiles at Dilan and Aeleus nod and salute before leaving the lab together.</p>
<p>"Hmm?"</p>
<p>"Good morning Kairi." Ienzo walks over to Kairi, offering a tentative smile. She returns it with her own. Yawning, she looks around.</p>
<p>"Have you found any new developments?" She asks. Ienzo shakes his head.</p>
<p>"We have the best news: Sora has been found." He waits for the news to sink in. Her smile leaves her face, melting into a blank expression. He continues speaking, "Cloud found him. They'll be here in less than an hour. Oh." He steps back a little as tears form at the corner of Kairi's eyes. Her eyes shine brightly at the news. She rubs the tears away, wearing a tired smile. </p>
<p>"I see. He's finally home again. I'm so glad..." Kairi closes her eyes, sobbing quietly. Ienzo puts his hand on her shoulder, hoping it'd offer some comfort. Even turns towards Ansem, who's typing away on the keyboard, and approaches him.</p>
<p>"What are you doing?"</p>
<p>"According to Cid, Sora was encased in some kind of crystal for a year."</p>
<p>Even rests his chin upon his fingers. "That would explain why there hasn't been any news of his whereabouts from King Mickey. He's normally on the move."</p>
<p>"Precisely." Ansem keeps his focus on the monitor. "I hope that Cloud and his party manage to retain some of the crystal particles for us to examine, but they might not have. After all, rescuing Sora is the highest priority."</p>
<p>"Still, I'm concerned about the reason. That someone trapped Sora in this crystal for a purpose."</p>
<p>Ansem spares a glance towards Even, saying, "And that's precisely why we need to uphold our duty as scientists to figure out the effects." </p>
<p>"Then, shall we get started?"</p><hr/>
<p>
  <b>Location: Restoration Committee Base</b>
</p>
<p>A quiet lull fills the living room. Many of the committee members are strewn about in various places. Yuffie is asleep at the table, with Namine across from her, also asleep. Next to Namine is a small child. Marlene is drawing on the paper, waiting until everyone else's awake. An early riser. On the couch, Tifa and Aerith are sitting next to each other, sleeping. Leon is in a single chair, arms crossed and fast asleep. Riku, however, is on the balcony. The cool breeze is a nice change, compared to the warm living room. Too much body heat. His phone begins vibrating. It stops for a moment. Suddenly, everyone's phones go off. The teen turns around, watching everyone awaken from their slumber. Letting curiosity take control, he pulls out his phone. </p>
<p>Everyone has the same reaction.</p>
<p>Elation.</p>
<p>Everyone cheers in excitement. They may have a noise complaint from their neighbors, but they won't care. Not at all. It won't damper their spirits. The girls comfort a crying Namine, who's happy for her other friends. Marlene, confused, does her best by patting Namine's arm. Leon glances towards their newest committee member, seeing only his broad back. However, upon a closer look, he sees the teen's shoulders trembling. He turns his gaze away, letting him process his emotional turmoil, and makes a smile of his own. He'll wait till everyone's come down from their emotional high before heading to Merlin's house. Until then, he pulls the curtain, blocking Riku from everyone else's sights.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Riku stares at his phone in silence. His grip on it slackens for a mere moment. It tightens again, hand shaking. </p>
<p>"Sora..." Riku sheds a single tear. </p>
<p>At last...</p>
<p>His dear friend is home again.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <b>Location: Disney Castle</b>
</p>
<p>"Hmm?" Goofy looks at his phone. "Oh, it's Cid!"</p>
<p>"Cid? Did something happen?" King Mickey looks at his best friend and soldier. Suddenly, all three of their phones chime in unison. The group chat is flooded with multiple texts, coming from all over the worlds. He sees the message. His eyes widen as he looks at Donald and Goofy. Both of them are in shock. It's Goofy who breaks first, laughing while shedding a few tears. They become infectious, as tears stream down Donald's face. Mickey couldn't help himself, a smile worming its way to his face. They hug tightly before breaking apart as Donald races towards the gummi ship docking area. Goofy chases after his friend, telling him to slow down. </p>
<p>"Mickey?" Mickey sees Minnie from the corner of his eye. "Did something happen?"</p>
<p>"You bet! Sora's been found!" The king watches his queen wear an expression of elated surprise. She places both of her hands over her mouth, but he could tell from her closed eyes that she's ecstatic as the rest of them. She shakes her head and pushes Mickey. "Huh? Minnie?"</p>
<p>"What are you still doing here? Head over! You know how Donald gets!" Minnie chuckles.</p>
<p>"Oh gosh, are you sure?" Mickey looks at her.</p>
<p>"I'm sure. Plus you can tell him I said hi." Minnie smiles, and that's that. Mickey stares at her for a few moments before smiling himself. He offers a small kiss on her cheek and heads to the docking area. </p>
<p>"Wait fellas! Don't forget me!" Mickey calls out, knowing they might in their excitement.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <b>Location: Twilight Town</b>
</p>
<p>"Hmmph! Shut that phone off," Axel moans from the couch. His groans grow increasingly louder when everyone's phones chime. He shoots up and accidentally collides his head with Isa's forehead. "Ow!" Rubbing his head, he squints and looks for his own phone.</p>
<p>"What's going on?" A sleepy and equally grumpy Roxas asks. He rubs his eyes as the phones continue ring incessantly. Xion sits up, yawning next to him. </p>
<p>"I'm not sure," Isa replies, looking at Axel, who's wearing a dumbfounded look. He watches as a huge smile appears on his face. "Axel?"</p>
<p>"Guys!" His green eyes sparkle with joy. "Guys!" He yells again, but more choked up. As if . . . The three of them stare at the former Nobody, but reach for their own phone. Hayner, Pence, and Olette reply in their own Twilight Town chat, saying that they need to wake up and make their way to Radiant Garden. Well, that was mostly Hayner. Both Pence and Olette spam the chat with messages that aren't coherent for anyone. Roxas scrolls through the message, trying to find the one that has everyone go nuts. A feeling of hope starts to build inside him, but he squishes it down, not wanting to be disappointed again. But as he focuses on his task, the muffled cries of joy from Xion reach his ears.</p>
<p>"What happened?"</p>
<p>"Roxas!" Xion looks at him, crying and smiling. "He's back!"</p>
<p>That feeling of hope he's trying to surpass? It comes back with a vengeance. It crashes and washes over his entire being. They all know who she's referring to. No more words need to be exchanged. The four of them immediately gather themselves, fixing their appearance, and gather supplies for their new trip. They have no doubt they'll be in Radiant Garden for a while. It isn't before long that Hayner, Pence, and Olette arrive at their doorstep, all in various state of disarray and emotions. </p>
<p>Roxas is doing his own best to keep it together. He's failing of course, but he won't admit it just yet. When everyone learned of Sora's sacrifice, leading to his disappearance, he was absolutely devastated. As Sora's Nobody, they shared a special bond unlike the others. Sure, Xion and Namine may have come from Sora, but they weren't really Sora's opposite. Sorta. It's very complicated and convoluted. Regardless, upon hearing the news, he felt as if he was a Nobody again. Empty. Unsure of everything. It hurt, because he knew the lengths of how far Sora was willing to sacrifice himself. To have everyone have their own happy ending. Everyone except his own. </p>
<p>But now it's different. After a whole year, Sora's back.</p>
<p>Roxas couldn't help the big, dumb smile on his face. He couldn't wait to hug his twin.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <b>Location: The Land of Departure</b>
</p>
<p>"All right, there we go." Terra lays Zack on his bed and looks at Ventus and Aqua. "We should probably text one of the people who work at the castle. They might be able to help Zack."</p>
<p>"Right!" When Ventus pulls out his phone, it starts going off. He nearly drops it. The same thing happens with Terra and Aqua's phones. Opening up the group chat, the three find themselves staring at the message from Cid. Terra and Aqua pull their gaze away, looking towards Ventus, and surprise appear on their faces. Ventus is crying, unbeknownst to himself. Ven sees his own tears, furiously trying to wipe them away, but they keep coming back. He chokes on sniffling, unable to escape Terra and Aqua's hugs.</p>
<p>"He's...back!" Ven sobs. His voice cracks as he speaks again. "He's here."</p>
<p>"He is," Aqua mutters, shedding a tear. </p>
<p>Terra brings the two closer, pressing them against him. The one of the few things Terra wants to do, the moment he spots Sora again, is to thank him. Thank him for keeping Ventus safe. Thank him for rescuing Aqua. Finally, thank him for breaking Terra free. It's truly heartrending and tragic how Sora has done so much for them, but they have yet to do a single thing. Well, it'll change. They have the time now to make up for it. They break away as Ven's tears stop flowing. He gives the two a reassuring smile, then tilts his head and looks at Zack.</p>
<p>"I guess it's time to hit the road again." </p>
<p>"What?" Terra ruffles Ven's hair. "Don't tell me you're not excited to see everyone again." He cracks a mischievous grin. Ven returns it back.</p>
<p>"I am!"</p>
<p>"All right, let's get ready then." Aqua tells the two, and she and Ven head out to their own rooms. Terra lingers in his spot before collecting himself and going to his closet. He knows he won't need a lot of things, but how long they'll be in Radiant Garden isn't known. Still, it'll be good to see everyone again. Maybe having a spar with his successor would be nice. He knows how much Sora means to Riku. How much the trio from Destiny Islands have had their lives changed forever. He's finally ready to see how all three of them will be, together once more. Dark blue eyes glance over to Zack. He has no doubts that Ansem and his team will be able to help his friend. </p>
<p>He hopes so.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <b>Location: Unknown</b>
</p>
<p>Blue eyes stare out into the darkness. They spot a glimmer of light, out in the distance. The boy tries to reach out to it, but the distance never closes. Rather, he's drifting away from the light.</p>
<p>
  <i>I've been having these weird thoughts lately . . .</i>
</p>
<p>A wave of exhaustion washes over his entire being. He struggles to keep his eyes open. </p>
<p>
  <i>Like . . .</i>
</p>
<p>The boy cannot fight it anymore. His eyes close themselves. The light disappears as well. Everything becomes cold as he feels himself sink deeper. His destination, he does not know. </p>
<p>
  <i>Is any of this for real or not?</i>
</p>
<p>Images of people flash in his mind. Various people. None of whom he recognizes at all.</p>
<p>Should he?</p>
<p>
  <i>None of this...makes sense to me.</i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>its thanks to these moments my brain comes up with that i had to make this fic; roughly i think this fic is gonna be three chapters before we move onto the bigger project</p><p>hope you guys like it! apologies if characters seem ooc, but i did the best i could! i added vincent and barret (and yis marlene will make an appearance too) because i felt bad that they didn't appear in the original game, now that im more familiar with ff7; im debating whether or not i should add red and cait sith, but we'll see and depends on if you guys'd be interested <strike>since it involves reeve and that means my brain might be tempted to add in more ff7 characters</strike></p><p>let me know what you guys think! have a great day!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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